Attachment for internal-combustion engines



I. M DOWELL ATTACHMENT FOR IN TERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed May 29.1923 2 m m I A 7'TOR/VE VS lllltt ravine ironownan, or BROOKLYN, new TOWATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGTIF.

Application filed May as, 1923. fierial No. 642,160.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING MCDOWELL, a citizen of the United States, andresident of the boron h of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines and has for itsobje'ct to provide an attachment adapted more particularly to increasethe efiiciency of the customary spark plugs and to protect the sameagainst the accumulation of oil and carbon. The invention will be fullydescribed in the description hereinafter in which more specific objectsthereof will appear.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrateseveral examples of the invention without definin its limits and inwhich Fig. 1 is a sectiona view of one form of the attachment showing.the same in operative position in an internal combustion engine; Fig. 2is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end viewthereof; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of another form of theattachment; Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4 andFig. 6 is an end view thereof.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the attach ment comprises a. casinconsisting of a body 10 of generally cyllndrical form and provided witha hexagonal or equivalent head 11 for the accommodation of a wrench orother suitable tool, said body having an interior screw-thread 12 forthe accommodation of the screw-threaded end 13 of the s ark plug 14. Anexternally screwtlireaded neck 15 projects in an axial direction fromthe casing 10 and has its free end preferably tapered as indicated at 16and provided with apertures 17 which communicate with an interior axialpassage 18. The latter extends from the apertured end 16 to the interiorof the casing 10 which constitutes an auxiliary explosion chamber 19 inwhich the electrodes 20 of the spark plug 14 are contained as shown inFig. 1. The surface of the passage 18 is roughened in an suitable manneras, for instance, by being provided with screw-threads as shown in Fig.1, the purpose of which will appear more fully hereinafter; theapertures ll converge toward the passage 18 and extend along lines whichintersect each other as shown in Fig. 1.

In practice the attachment is connected with the engine by screwing theneck 15 thereof into the customary spark plug opento ing in the cylinder21 so that the tapered end 16 extends into the combustion chamberthereof and the apertures 17 establish communication between saidcombustion chamber and the passage 18, it being understood at the sparkplug, the electrodes 20 of which are contained in, and protected by, theauxiliary explosion chamber 19. In operation, under the compressionstroke of the piston, explosive mixture is forced through the apertures17 and the passage 18 into the auxillary combustion chamber 19 and atthe proper time is there ignited by the spark produced in the well knownway at the electrodes 20. The explosion of this auxiliary charge,contained in the auxiliary cham- I so ber 19, results in a burningmixture which is projected through the aperture 17 in a plurality ofjets of intense flame whereby the main charge of explosive mixture contained in the combustion chamber of the en- 5 gine is efliciently andcompletely exploded to produce the operation'of the engine in the wellknown way.

In the form shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6,

the attachment comprises a hexagonal body 11 from which an externallyscrew-threaded neck 15 projects which, in turn. is continued in the formof a cylindrical extension 10, the end surface 16 of which is perfectlyflat as shown in Fi 5. The cylinat drical extension 10 is provi ed witha plurality of apertures 17" which, in this form, extend at right anglesto the axis of the attachment and communicate with an interior passage18 which, in turn, communiwe cates with the auxiliary ex losion chamber19 as in the first form. e auxiliary explosion chamber 19 encloses theelectrodes 20 of the spark plug 1 1 in the same way an in the form firstdescribed, said spark plug ma being combined with the attachment byhaving its screw-threaded neck 13 enga e with the interior screw-threads12' of sai auxil i H attachment is in place thereon.

In operation a portion of the explosive mixture is forced inwardlythrough "the apertures 17 and the passage 18 into the auxiliaryexplosion chamber 19 in which it is exploded at the proper time as inthe first form and is projected outwardly through the apertures 17 inthe form of jets of intense flame which serve to explode the main chargein the combustion chamber of the engin'eas in the first form. Because ofthe location and direction of the apertures 17*, these jets of flame areprojected along the inner end surface of the cylinder and thus burn awayany oil which may have adhered to this surface and at the same time keepthe carbon deposit on said surface at a low point.

In both forms of the invention the apertures 17 and 17 extendtransversely to the axis ofthe attachment so that the mixture passinginwardly throu h the same is churned up as it were within the assage 18or 18 'so that any oil carried y this mixture is separated t erefrom.Because of the roughened surface of this passage 18 or 18 this oil,together with any oil which ma not have been physically separated fromthe mixture, clings to said roughened surface and is prevented therebyfrom reaching the auxiliary explosion chamber 19 or 19. The oilcollected, in this way, upon the roughened surface of the passage 18 or18', is blown out through the apertures 17 or 17" with each explosion ofthe mixture in the auxiliary chamber 19 or 19 so that the electrodes 20are, at all times kept perfectly dry and free from oil and therefore ina condition of maximum efficiency as an ignitin medium. In both formsthe apertures 1 and 17' are so dimensioned and positioned with respectto each other as to leave a minimum amount of metal between each twoholes, which metal becomes quickly heated by the successive explosionsand preheats the mixture which passes inwardly through said apertures 17and 17' and by this preheating increases the explosibility thereof.

The externally screw-threaded necks 15 and 15' are of such an axial lenh as to position the inner end of the attac ment in the internalcombustion chamber in such a way that there will be no interference withthe operation of the piston or the customary valves.

' The inner end face 16, and more particularly the inner end face 16,serves to deflect and eflicient in operation and maintains theelectrodes of the spark plug in a condition of maximum sergiceabilityand requires no skill in its attachment to the engine; the attachment issimply screwed into the customary spark plu opening in the same way thatthe spark plug is fixed therein after which the spark plug is connectedwith the attachment in the manner set forth. The use of the attachmentrequires no special construction in the engine and requires no changesto be made therein.

The attachment which is in the nature of a shield protects the sparkplugs from oil and carbon and, as a matter of fact, prevents carboncaused by excessive oil or a slow burning mixture; the attachmentincreases the life of the plugs by protectin them from the heat ofthe clinder head which, in many cases, warps t e electrodes and either closesthem up or opensthem apart and,'in any case, interferes with theefliciency of the ignition system. Furthermore the porcelain of the lugsis kept away from the intense heat of the cylinders and is therebyguarded against cracking.

y The attachment makes the starting of the engine easier because the gasin the auxiliary explosion chamber 19 is ignited with one turn of themotor on the compression stroke andincidentally sends forth a powerfulburst of flame into the c linder similar to the flame of a blow-torchwhich will ignite either a lean or rich mixture much quicker and morepositively than the ordinary spark of the customary spark plug will doit; at the same time every particle of the mixture, including any oil orother foreign matter which may be suspended therein or carried therebywill be completely consumed. The life of the spark plugs and of theentire car, as a matter of fact, is extended and the engine'is givenmore power and increased flexibility. The possibility of loose bearings,loose wrist pins, universal joints, keyways, loose keys, and loss ofpower caused by foul spark plugs, is also done away with Various changesin the specific form I claim: 1. An attachment for internal combustionengines comprising a member adapted for connection with an enginecylinder so as to communicate at its inner end with the combustionchamber thereof and to receive a spark plug at its outer end in a havingits interior surface roughened inproximity to said apertures and betweenits inner end and the point at which the spark plug electrodes areintended to 'be located.

2. The combination of a spark plug and a casing connected therewith andcovering the electrodes thereof, said casing being adapted forconnection with the cylinder of an internal combustion engine and havingapertures at its inner end for communication with the combustion chamberof said engine and further being provided with an axlal passageextending inwardly from said apertures toward said electrodes and havingits surface roughened, said roughened surface being located between saidapertures and said electrodes.

3. The combination of a spark plug and a casing connected therewith andcovering the electrodes thereof, said casing being adapted forconnection with the cylinder of an internal combustion engine and havingapertures at its inner end, said casing further having an interiorauxiliary explosive chamber in which said electrodes are located and anaxial passage extending from said chamber to said apertured end andhaving its surface roughened, said roughened surface being locatedbetween said apertures and said electrodes.

4:. The combination of a spark plug and a casing connected therewith andcovering the electrodes thereof, said casing being adapted forconnection with the cylinder of an internal combustion engine and havingatapered inner end provided with apertures, said casing further havingan interior auxiliary explosion chamber in which said electrodes arelocated and an axial passage extending from said chamber to saidapertured .end and having its surface screwthreaded to provide aroughness thereon, said screw threaded surface bein located between saidapertures and said e ectrodes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y iavnvc MQDOWELL.

